Fluid dispensing apparatus



United States Patent @ffice 3,639,654 Patented June 19, 1962 3,039,654 FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Dale R. Lopatka, 2513 Bel-Air Drive, Glenview, Ill., and George W. Fairbairn, Evanston, Ill. (1734 Kennicott Court, Arlington Heights, Ill.)

Filed Dec. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 860,159 Claims. (Cl. 222-23) This invention relates to portable fluid dispensing apparatus and in particular to portable fire extinguishers.

Apparatus of this type, when used as a fire extinguisher, generally comprises a cylinder filled with fire extinguishing medium in the form of a powdered agent, such as sodium bicarbonate, and pressurized by a suitable gaseous agent. Upon the opening of a valve, the pressurized gas forces the fire extinguishing medium through a syphon tube and thence through the valve mechanism into a nozzle to be sprayed or projected upon the conflagration.

It is an object of this invention to provide a fluid dispensing apparatus having a valve mechanism which is substantially entirely disposed or located within the cylinder to provide a compact construction and to reduce the possibility of having the delicate portions of the valve mechanism rendered inoperative by an accidental blow.

It is a further object of this invention to simplify the construction of the valve mechanism, whereby the nozzle proper forms part of the valve mechanism, and whereby the sealing member, normally biased into sealing engagement with the valve seat by the pressure in the container, is positioned to minimize interference with the flow of medium during discharge.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fire extinguisher or fluid dispensing apparatus having an operating handle extending longitudinally along the cylinder to aid in the manipulation of the unit and aiming of same in a particular direction since the hand required to depress the operating lever can be closer to the center of gravity of the unit and less e-ifort will be required to balance the unit while holding it pointed in the desired direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock which will safeguard against accidental actuation of the operating lever.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a visual indicator on the lock to show whether the unit requires refilling or other attention.

This invention is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and it comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application as indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of this invention, reference can be had to the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view along the longitudinal axis of the apparatus, certain parts being broken away for clarity.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation showing in particular the manner in which the lock or safety pin is arranged to serve a dual purpose, namely, as a fulcrum for the operating lever.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the valving mechanism showing the nozzle moved axially to open the valve orifice.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the apparatus shown, which can be used as a fire extinguisher, comprises a container 2 for storing a fluid medium under pressure; a valve mechanism 4 secured in proximity to one end of the cylinder 2; a guard member '6 secured to the cylinder, and an operating lever 8 engageable with an axially movable nozzle 10 which forms part of said valve mechanism 4.

The container 2 is generally cylindrical and comprises a tubular portion 12 sealed at the bottom end by a closure 14 suitably formed of concave configuration to withstand the relatively high internal pressures customary in apparatus of this type and having a threaded collar 16 secured centrally thereof to form an inlet port for the introduction of the medium to be pressurized within said cylinder. The collar 16 receives a mating threaded plug 18 having a head 20 and serves to close said port. As shown, it is preferable to use an O-ring seal 22 between said collar 16 and the head 20 of the plug to effectively seal such inlet port.

The other or upper end of the tubular portion 12 is likewise closed by an end cap 24 of suitable concave configuration.

Extending laterally from and secured integrally to the tubular portion 12 in proximity to the upper end thereof, i.e., in the vicinity of end cap 24, is the guard member 6 which is of approximately inverted U-shaped section, as viewed in FIGURE 2, having a central leg 26' integral with a pair of wings 28 and 29 extending axially downwardly along the tubular portion 12.

The operating lever 8 has a flanged lip 30 at the lower end thereof which aids in preventing the fingers of the manipulating hand from slipping off of such lever, while the upper end of the lever 8 constitutes a hook 32 which forms a bearing permitting the lever 8 to pivot on a pin portion 34 extending through openings provided in the wings 28 and 29' of the guard member 6.

An opening 36 through the operating lever 8 freely accommodates passage therethrough of the nozzle 10 which is provided on either side of said lever 8 with snap rings 38 and 40. Thus, pivoting movement of the lever 8 toward the cylinder 2 engages the snap ring 40 and imparts axial movement to the nozzle inwardly of the cylinder.

The valve mechanism 4 includes said axially movable nozzle 10 and further includes a valve body 41 comprising a valve core 42 which slidably receives said nozzle 10 and which is threadedly engageable with a chambered valve housing 44 secured internally to the tubular portion 12 of the container 2. To ensure a tight pressure-seal, an O-ring 46 is preferably provided between the valve core 42 and the valve housing 44.

The nozzle 10 has an axial bore 48 which extends therethrough and terminates in a rear wall 50. Integral with and projecting from the rear wall 50 is a serrated stud 52 on which is mounted a conically or other suitably shaped sealing member 54 engageable with the valve seat 56 formed by the valve body, i.e., by the rearmost edge of the valve core 42. Compression spring 57 bears against the rear wall 58 of the valve housing 44 and against the sealing member 54 to bias the latter into engagement with the valve seat 56.

A syphon tube 60 secured to the valve housing 44 and in communication with the interior thereof through opening 61 extends downwardly to terminate in a region adja cent to and spaced from the bottom cap member 14.

The rear or inner end of the nozzle 10 is of reduced outer diameter to form a circumferential channel 62 communicating with one or more radial orifices 64 which extend through the side wall of the nozzle and establish communication with the bore 48. It is desirable to have a seal ring 66 embracing the nozzle 10 to prevent leakage of the pressurized medium during storage or diversion of such medium during operation of the apparatus.

From the foregoing it will noted that the sealing member 54 is biased into engagement with the valve seat 56 by both the spring 57 and the pressure within the container 2. By positioning the sealing member 54 and the associated nozzle to be slidable in a direction normal to the opening 61 and the syphon tube 60, the advantage is obtained in that the sealing member 54 upon being moved to open position affords minimum interference with flow of the medium which tends to follow the shortest escape path, as opposed to those constructions where the sealing member lies in the path of and blocks direct flow of medium during discharge.

The pin portion 34 is part of a pull pin 68 which serves a dual function; it serves as a pivot for the operating handle 8 and also serves as a safety lock in that when pull pin 68 is positioned with its end portion 70 inserted in hole 72 in the wing 29' to project through such wing, it will be in the path of rearward movement of the operating handle 8 and thus efiectively prevent accidental discharge of the pressurized medium housed Within the container 2. The pull pin 68 includes the pivot pin portion 34 which terminates in a grooved end 74 accommodating a snap ring 76, whereas in the other direction it is formed into an easily graspable loop 78 and terminates in the safety pin end portion 70. The grooved end 74 accommodates an indicator 80, preferably frangible and of bright color, which will be dislodged to visibly indicate, by its absence, whether it had been previously used. Thus, the absence of indicator 80 from its position on the end 74 of the pull pin serves as notice that the fire extinguisher should be refilled or at least checked to determine that sufficient fire extinguishing medium remains in the container.

During operation, the pull pin 68 is moved outwardly of wing 29 until snap ring 76 abuts against wing 28. This amount of movement dislodges indicator 80 and clears the safety pin end portion 70 from the actuation or rearward path of movement of the handle 8 permitting the latter to be depressed to contact snap ring 40. Further movement of handle 8 toward cylinder 2 will slide nozzle 10 and valve member 54 rearwardly to open the orifice circumscribed by valve seat 56 whereby communication between the interior of the container 2 and the atmosphere will be established via the syphon tube 60', the interior of the valve housing 44, the annular channel 62, the radial orifices 64-, and the bore 48 of the nozzle.

Although pull pin 68 has been shown in the drawing as being on the right hand side of the cylinder, when considered with the nozzle pointing away from the operator, it is obvious that convenience may indicate having the pull pin'on the left hand side of the operator.

Since certain changes can be made in the foregoing construction and different embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter shown in the accompanying drawing and described hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A portable fluid dispensing apparatus comprising a container having a longitudinal dimension equal to or greater than its lateral dimension adapted to hold fluid under pressure, a valve mechanism having a hollow valve body secured to a side wall of and within the container in proximity to one end of said container, a chamber in said valve body, and a bore in said valve body extending laterally of said container and of a diameter less than the corresponding interior dimension of said chamber, a valve seat formed by the edge of said valve body adjacent said bore, a hollow nozzle slidable within said bore, a sealing member secured to one end of said nozzle and engageable with said valve seat, a resilient member located between a portion of said valve body and said sealing member to bias the sealing member into engagement with said valve seat, the nozzle having a portion of reduced external diameter adjacent said sealing member, at least one radial port extending through said reduced diameter portion of the nozzle, a passage through said valve body extending normal to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle and adjacent to both said valve seat and sealing member establishing communication between the interior of the container and the interior of said chamber,

a pair of wing members integral with said container and extending laterally outward thereof to straddle said nozzle portion, a pin supported by and extending between said wing members at the ends thereof adjacent said valve end of the container, a lever pivoted on said pinand extending between said wings longitudinally along said container and terminating at a position beyond said nozzle portion in proximity to the center of gravity of the ap paratus, and means on said nozzle portion and lever to impart axial movement to the nozzle portion upon pivotal movement of said lever.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the means for imparting axial motion to the nozzle comprises an opening in the lever through which the nozzle portion extends and a projection on the nozzle engageable with the lever adjacent said opening therein.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the pivot pin extending between said wings is axially slidable in aligned openings provided in said wings and is of looped configuration intermediate its length, the other end of such pin terminating in a portion freely receivable in another opening in one of said Wings and projecting {herethrough into the path of pivotal movement of said ever.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the end of the pivot pin, adjacent to the portion serving as a pivot for the lever, carries a displaceable indicator member.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the indi cator member is made of a frangible material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 545,285 Green Aug. 27, 1895 876,968 James Jan. 21, 1908 999,602 Slee Aug. 1, 1911 1,140,034 Hansen May 18, 1915 1,733,441 Barks Oct. 29, 1929 2,008,807 Williams July 23, 1935 2,030,510 Grifiiths Feb. 11, 1936 2,264,671 Kocker Dec. 2, 1941 2,643,914 Reswick June 30, 1953 2,924,360 Samuel Feb. 9, 1960 2,941,700 Gable June 21, 1960 

